LA Metro D-Line Expo Purple Line Incl.: Crenshaw/LAX Westside LRT

It took a lot of digging, but I found that update's parent page: LAWA Official Site | LAMP News

The newsletter itself (titled link): The Future of LAX Newsletter - March 2021

ITF-West should open late this summer, ConRAC's concrete is now complete, and

The 2.25-mile Automated People Mover (APM) train guideway is approximately 25% complete, and only nine of 192 columns remain to be placed to support the guideway superstructure. Station construction has begun at the East CTA and Intermodal Transportation Facility-West (ITF-West) sites. Train car testing and assembly continues in Pittsburgh.

From the pictures, I gather that this APM has a track system much like some other ALRS's. A central guiding rail and strips on each side for rubber tires.

Thanks for all the updates!

Aerial Tour: Foothill Gold Line from Glendora to Montclair - YouTube from 3 years back, and also recent updates from Foothill Gold Line the project's home page.

The line will have several light-rail bridges, and some freeway underpasses may have to be widened for it. Some streets have been cut rather than get light-rail grade crossings.

• (Bridge) Foothill Blvd. + Grand Ave. N side
• (Cut) W Ada Ave (redirected to Vermont Ave. for the crossing)
• (Station) Glendora, between Vermont Ave., Glendora Ave., N side
• (Cut) Glenwood Ave.
• (Bridge) Route 66 N side
• (Underpass) I-218
• (Bridge) Lone Hill Ave. N to S side
• (Underpass) SR-57
• (Bridge) Bonita Ave. + Cataract Ave. S side
• (Station) San Dimas, between San Dimas Ave., Walnut Ave., S side
• (Station) La Verne, between E St., White Ave., S side
• (Station) Pomona, between Fulton Rd., Garey Ave. S side near N Pomona Metrolink stn.
• (limit of current funding)
• (Bridge) Garey Ave.
• (Bridge) Towne Ave.
• (Bridge) Indian Hill Blvd.
• (Station) Claremont, between Indian Hill Rd., College Ave., N side near Claremont Metrolink stn.
• (Bridge) Monte Vista Ave.
• (Station) Montclair, between Monte Vista Ave., Central Ave., N side near Montclair Metrolink stn.

The route goes through two street intersections, going in bridges over both.

The LACMTA Gold / L Line uses the route of the former Pasadena Subdivision of the ATSF - Pasadena Subdivision - Wikipedia

Amtrak operated some trains into LA using that route until the 1994 Northridge earthquake, because that tremor damaged the bridge over south-side I-210 in Arcadia. The Gold Line uses a replacement of that bridge, and the south side of that freeway has a dip there. Is that dip a legacy of the construction of the original railroad bridge there?

In any case, I find it hard to find pictures of the original bridge. I find mostly pictures of the light-rail bridge.

West of Claremont, the Pasadena Subdivision is now a freight branchline that extends to the San Gabriel River between Duarte and Azusa.

East of Claremont, the line is now a trail, the Pacific Electric Trail. It extends Claremont Blvd. + Huntington Dr. -- N Benson Ave. + Huntington Dr. -- N 11th Ave. + Washington Blvd. -- Archibald Ave. + Lomita Ct.-- end of N Heritage Cir -- Citrus Ave. + Seville Ave. -- N Cactus Ave. + 1st / 2nd Sts.

A railroad line starts there, but it looks like it has not been maintained in a long time. A little east of Meridian Ave., it goes into a north-south railroad line. I followed it northward and it went into Cajon Pass. I searched for "San Bernardino CA" and I found that the line's end was in the western part of that town.

So if wants to use more of the former Pasadena Subdivision, one can go from Montclair to San Bernardino in it.

Instead, I've seen a proposal for an extension to Ontario Airport: Gold Line Foothill Extension - Wikipedia (not Ontario, Canada!)

Between Montclair station and Ontario Airport, it's hard to avoid city streets. But I've thought of a route that goes close to Metrolink stations.

The route is now built out to North Pomona Metrolink station on the San Bernardino Line, and it will go to the Claremont and Montclair ones on that line.

It can continue further to Upland on that line and turn south into Euclid Ave. a few blocks W of Upland station. At the Riverside Line, it turns east and follows that line, arriving at the Ontario Metrolink station and then at the airport.

The Abandoned Rails site is very helpful.

City of Industry to San Bernardino, CA - Abandoned Rails tracks the abandoned line east of Claremont.

Metro celebrates completion of track work for Regional Connector project | The Source - April 18, 2022

With track and guideway work now completed, Metro has begun train and systems testing in preparation for revenue operations, which is anticipated this Fall. Workers will now be concentrating on finishing the station’s plaza concourse and ancillary levels, testing remaining HVAC and fire/life safety systems, and completing station artwork, elevator and escalator installations.

To mitigate noise and vibration impacts to the community’s preforming art institutions the Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill Station uses a special type of floating slab track system.

Metro celebrates closing of successful construction mitigation programs for Crenshaw/LAX Line; first two segments of rail line are substantially complete | The Source - March 30, 2022
Those two segments are between the Green/C Aviation/LAX station and 48th St., a little south of the planned Leimert Park station. The remaining segment is between there and the Expo/E Expo/Crenshaw station.

Purple Line tunneling completed between Century City and Wilshire/Rodeo! | The Source - "January 31, 2022"
That's the western half of Section 2 of the Purple/D line extension.

n early February, the TBMs are anticipated to start digging the tunnels between Wilshire/Rodeo and Wilshire/La Cienega stations. The tunnels on 3.9-mile Section 1 of the project — between Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/La Cienega — were completed in 2021.

In other words, this vital project is advancing nicely. Construction is also underway on Section 3 of the project between Century City and the Westwood VA Hospital — including a key station at Wilshire and Westwood boulevards that will provide access to Westwood Village and the UCLA campus.

So they should be now be doing the tunneling for the eastern half of Section 2.

The two TBM's dug 5,811 ft / 1,771 m from April 30, 2020 to January 11 and January 28, 2022 That's 621 and 638 days or 1 3/4 years. That's 9.1 - 9.4 ft / 2.8 - 2.9 m per day.

"Section 1 is forecast to open in 2024, Section 2 in 2025 and Section 3 in 2027."

Sen. Alex Padilla and local leaders highlight federal funds for East San Fernando Valley light rail project | The Source - April 19, 2022
"... between Van Nuys and the San Fernando/Sylmar Metrolink Station."

The project's home page: East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project - LA Metro

Phase 1: Van Nuys G/Orange Busway station - Van Nuys Blvd. - San Fernando Rd.
Phase 2: Van Nuys Blvd. - San Fernando Rd. - Sylmar / San Fernando Metrolink station

Checking Projects Archive - LA Metro I looked for anything on the G/Orange Line itself. G Line (Orange) Improvements Project - LA Metro -- it looks like it will still be a busway.
One of its project documents states

• Railroad-style four-quadrant gates at up to 35 intersections
• Grade separated aerial stations at Van Nuys Bl and Sepulveda Bl
• Bike path improvements
• Stormwater capture improvements
• Anticipated project completion date: 2026

I confess that I chuckled when I read that, because some of it seemed like light-rail infrastructure.

2022-GLine(Orange)-FactSheet.pdf at Dropbox - G Line (Orange) Improvements - Simplify your life

Metro invites public for virtual community meetings in March on Eastside L (Gold) Line extension and proposed initial operating segments | The Source
Home page: Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 - LA Metro

They have decided on a southeast extension rather than a due-east one, it seems. The line currently ends at 3rd St. and S Atlantic Blvd. It will go south on Atlantic Blvd., then southeastward a little northeast of I-5, then east-southeastward in Washington Blvd. to Lambert Rd.

They are not sure about what will be the first phase of construction.

1. Build to Commerce/Citadel near I-5
2. Build to Greenwood Ave.
3. Build the entire line (the first phase is the only phase).

Metro Board approves route for initial segment for West Santa Ana Branch Project and Union Station as northern terminus | The Source
Home page: West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor - LA Metro

Projects Archive - LA Metro - lists numerous projects in various stages of planning and construction.

Aerial Rapid Transit - LA Metro - "an aerial rapid transit gondola system connecting Union Station and Dodger Stadium"
Like a ski lift, but in a city. Something like what Portland OR has. Portland Aerial Tram

Brighton to Roxford Double-Track (Regional Rail) - LA Metro - that's along San Fernando Road.
I checked in Google Maps, and there is a remnant track along some of the existing track. There is a double-track bit north of Roxford St. to Balboa St., but it's single track between Roxford St. and halfway between N Hollywood Blvd. and Winona Ave., where it becomes double-track again.

C Line (Green) Extension to Torrance - LA Metro - still two possible routes.

Crenshaw Northern Extension - LA Metro - Crenshaw Ave. - San Vicente Blvd. - then any of three routes to Hollywood/Highland. The three routes are La Brea Ave., Fairfax Ave. + Santa Monica Blvd., and West Hollywood.

North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor - LA Metro - planned to be a Bus Rapid Transit line.

Vermont Transit Corridor - LA Metro and Vermont Transit Corridor South Bay Extension Feasibility Study - LA Metro - currently expected to be Bus Rapid Transit.

Extension of L Line (Gold) to Pomona is halfway complete! | The Source

• Project Design: 100% Complete
• Relocation of Freight Track Within Shared Corridor to Make Room for New Light Rail Tracks: 98% Complete
• Reconstruction of 21 At-Grade Crossings: 91% Complete
• Construction of 19 New or Renovated Bridges: 39% Complete Overall
  • Freight Bridges: 97% Complete
  • Light Rail Bridges: 31% Complete
• Installation of New Light Rail Tracks: 43% Complete
• Construction of Light Rail Electric Power System: 23% Complete
• Construction of Four New Light Rail Stations: 13% Complete

A further extension, from Pomona to Montclair, is not yet funded.

Checking on Projects Archive - LA Metro again, I looked for changes since last spring.

• Regional Connector Transit Project - LA Metro - expected to open late this fall
• Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project - LA Metro - expected to open this fall
• Airport Metro Connector - LA Metro - expected to open in 2024
• (other projects) - no big changes

The Crenshaw-LAX "K" line is now mostly open. I say mostly, since it is open from Expo/Crenshaw to Westchester/Veterans, a little north of LAX airport. Seven new stations are now open, counting as one of them a transfer station with the Expo "E" line.

• Join us for the grand opening of the K Line this weekend! | The Source
• LA Metro’s K Line — The Long Awaited Crenshaw/LAX Extension — Is Opening. Here’s What Riders Can Expect | LAist
• Metro’s K Line Is Open! Rail Returns to Crenshaw Boulevard, the Heart of Black Los Angeles – Streetsblog Los Angeles

These two sources are rather confusing about the remaining three stations: LAX / Metro Transit Center, Aviation / Century, and Aviation / LAX, a transfer station with the Green "C" Line. LMTC will open in 2024, when LAX's automated people mover is done. The two other stations will be open either next year or 2024.

There is a planned grade separation at Centinela St., a little NE of the Inglewood station: Centinela Grade Separation Project - LA Metro The tracks will go over the street, and that part of the C-L line will be shut down for two years for the construction. If it can get funded, it could be done as soon as 2026.